HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-9.-Reasons for reverential praise. The force of the psalmist's summons in the opening verse is felt as we proceed through the psalm itself, and when we rea.ch the end of it; for there are brought out- I. THE CONSTANOY OF Goo's GOODNESS. In no less than three verses (1-3) the Lord's Name is put for himself. This is significant of the Divine constancy, The name of the Lord is never dissociated from the same class of thoughts and deeds. It is so invariably connected with these that one stands for the other. Hie name and his character are inseparable; utter his naµ;ie, and there instantly l'ise to our thought the attributes which distinguish him; to sia'g of his Ne.me is not to praise an imaginary or ideal one, but the very Lord God himself. We worship him "with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning." II. '1'1:11!: GREATNESS OF HIS GLORY, lie manifests his presence, exercises bis power, and makes known his goodness (1) through all ages (ver. 2); (2) over all the earth (ver. 3); (3) in the highest heavens (ver. 4). III. THE FAOT OF HIS CONDESOENSION. (Ver. 6.) "He humbleth himself;"" who casts looks so low;" "and looketh down so deep." However we read it, the idea is that the " Most High God" interests himself in the children of men. Hu not only is concerned with the progress of our race generally (as a great emperor may occasionally bestow his attention upou the affairs of II distant province as reported to him by_ its representative), but he occupies his eternity with tho intimate knowledge and practical government of ea.eh nation, province, family, individual soul. 'l'o the Infinite Ono nothing can be too small for his regard. IV. His UPLIFTING POWER AND GRACE. (Ver. 7.) Obviously it could not be expected that every godly man would riso i11 worldly position; that involve~ an actual impossibility; nor would that, if it were possible, be a desirable reward of piety. Tiut the good man-who is the faithful, thrifty, reliable man-is very often r~ised _fr?m obscurity to eminence, from lowliness to power. And the const~nt tendeucy ot _Chr1s~1au worth and virtue is to convert poverty into competence, want 111to comfort, misery u,t(, 52 TIIE BOOK OF PSALMS. [re. cxm. 1-9.
cheerfulne~s, despair into peace. Indeed, this last is one of the ordinary end continual effects of piety. In the gospel of Christ, God is lifting up those that have been brought _down into a sense of condemnation and shame to the holy and blessed heiahts of hope and joy. Christianity is everywhere and always an uplifting power. ., V. B:rs ENRICHIN~ KINJ?NEBS. (V~r. 9.). We do not suffici~ntly realize the goodness of God ID the domestic enrichment with which he blesses us; ID all the love and a~l the happiness that come from the conjugal, parental, filial, fraternal relationships which )iis h~rt has conceived, which his hand is working for us. All these things bring 1Dto v1ew- VL Hrs STRONG CLAIM ON OUR REVERENCE AND PRAISE. As the psalm beains and ends with a" hallelujah," so should our lives, in every part, be encircled with the utterance of heartfelt gntitude.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUThORS. Vers. 7, 8.-The overflowing gratitude of the saved soul. How intense is the fervour of praise with which this psalm is full I The soul of the psalmist can scarce contain itself, and we are inevitably led to inquire into the reason and occasion of such gratitude. It is told of in the verses before us. No doubt the salvation spoken of was primarily a national one; it was Israel who had been so visited of God. It was Israel who was sunk so low in misery and degradation-sunk down to the dust and the dunghill, so poor and needy, so lonely, sad, and filled with reproach, like a woman to whom had been denied the gift of children. But by the grace and condescending compassion of God, she had been lifted up, and set among princes, and she had become joyful, like as a mother over her children. From Egypt'.s slavery to the glories of the time of David and Solomon; from the misery and shame of the days of the destruction of Jerusalem, when they were can-ied into captivity, to the brighter times of the return and restoration ;-such deliverances as these it was which called forth the psalmist's and the nation's enthusiastic, grateful song. And the lesson for every nation or com- munity which has been blessed of God with great prosperity, as our own nation has, is to remember the small beginnings, the humble place we once filled, and to give God all the praise for what he has wrought on our behalf. But we take our text as descriptive of spiritnal deliverance-of God's salvation of the soul. The gratitude of such soul is uttered here. And it rests on these grounds- !. THE DEPTHS FROM WHICH IT HAS BEEN UPLIFTED. They are described as the dust, the dunghill, the state of the barren woman. These images present an accumu- lation of shame, degradation, and distress. .And the soul that has known the Holy Spirit's conviction of sin will know that such images are fit and true. St. Paul called himself, to the last, "the chief of sinners." Guilt, bondage to sin, vileness of heart and, perhaps, of life too, hopelessness, helplessness, and a fearful looking for of judg- ment,-facts like these justify the strong images of the verses before us as telling of the soul unsaved. II. THE HEIGHTS TO WHICH IT HAS BEEN RAISED, See again the images employed . .And they are true. They express the ideas of honour, wealth, joy, strength, fruitful- ness; and they are all realized in the experience of the saved soul now, and are to be realized infinitely more hereafter. III. 'fHE INl"INITE CONDESCENSION OF GOD IN ALL THIS. The unbeliever has objected that it is monstrous to suppose that the grea_t ~od_, who controls the universe, amid which this earth of ours is a mere shred and rns1gmficant fragment, can be concerned with the petty affairs of man, especially of a poor individ~al, worthless, and sinful man. But is it not true that he who governs the vast umverse, worlds upon worlds, has yet been at the pains to paint and fas~ion the wicg of the _meanest insect in most exquisite and perfect manner? If h~ W)ll stoop to that., he_w1}l stoop to me, poor wretched sinner though I be. I own 1t 1s wonderful; bvt 1t 1s true. Hallelujah !-S. C. Ver. 1.-Servant-reasons for praise. " Praise, 0 ye servants of the Lor~ " Thie psalm is the first of the series called the "Halle!," which was sung in co:anection 'll•ith the ~ual Jewish festivals, and especiall.v at the r.'-Jsover and li'eafl1; of 'l'ahl'r1111,,:l1111, ra. oxm. 1-9.J THE BOOlt OF PSALMS. !'i3